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| Hoke done after four seasons at Michigan. Photo Credit: USA Today Sports |
The Wolverines have decided to part ways with Hoke in hopes of returning to their former glory years.
By: Michael Hanley
Michigan's interim AD Jim Hackett informed Hoke of the decision today , ending his four year tenure as Wolverines head coach. Hoke met with Hackett earlier today before he was scheduled to meet with his players. Hackett is scheduled to meet with the media at 4:30 PM to discuss further of this decision to part ways with Hoke.
This has been coming for sometime now as the losses and pressure mounted on Brady Hoke and his staff. This culminate din a embarrassing 42-28 loss to archival Ohio State last Saturday to cap their season at 5-7.
It was the first time in five years that the program will not be going to a bowl game of any sort, a low point for a program that had been a regular participant in bowl games throughout its rich history.
Also the rise of Michigan State as a national power in football during this time has also hindered Hoke and company even more while also having to deal with perennial title contender in Ohio State continue to be successful on a national level.
Hoke's record of 31-20 in four seasons as Michigan head coach would be just fine at smaller programs, not at Michigan. This is a program that has been built on being one of the top programs in all of college football over its existence. A team that features all american caliber players and ones that develop and become stars over their four years in the program.
It competes not just for bowl games and conference titles, this is one that is expected from everyone associated with it to be a national title contender year in and year out. The resources they have built into it and the support from the fan base is second to none. Their is no reason why Michigan cannot be an elite football program relatively soon.
For Hoke, going 2-6 vs Ohio & Michigan State will not cut it and unfortunately was a big part of his demise for the Wolverines. Those are games that alumni, fans, administration put so much importance and emphasis on winning.
The thrill of handing one of those or both a loss is something all of them clamor for. Coming up short in those games only leads to more questions about the heath of the program and how far behind is it behind the Spartans and Buckeyes.
It was not the recruiting aspect that Hoke failed at during his years in Ann Arbor, it was the development of those highly rated recruits he brought into the program. Him and coaching staff did a marvelous job of bringing highly skilled and talented players to come to the Wolverines, routinely pulling in highly ranked recruiting classes each season.
Shockingly though they were unable to max out each recruits skills and talent and find a role on the team that suited them best. Everyone knows that recruiting is the lifeblood for nay program but it is the player development aspect that is so crucial and can be the difference between having an average player or a player that perhaps performs above his given talent or one that develops into a star.
This coaching staff could never get a handle on that and these promising recruiting classes went from program changing to just also rans under their watch.
The next head coach of the Wolverines must be able to instill confidence and energy into this program that has low on that for quite sometime now. They need to be ready to recruit and recruit some more against the other big boys and let recruits know that Michigan is still a great place to go and play football at a high level.
They need to reestablish the bar and be able to lift the success and expectations back to where they usually were in the program's heyday. It is a great job, one that can become a big player on the college football landscape again.
Though these are dark times for Michigan fans, brighter days could be ahead if the right head coach is selected.
Follow me on Twitter: @Magic20099
